Round the Island Race

Sailing Race · June or July

The Round the Island Race is one of the largest yacht races in the world, with typically 1,500 boats and around 16,000 sailors taking part. The race circumnavigates the Isle of Wight, starting and finishing off the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, and covering approximately 50 nautical miles. The event is organised by the Island Sailing Club and has been held annually since 1931.

The fleet sets off in a spectacular mass start, with boats of all sizes from small club racers to maxi yachts jostling for position as they head westward through the Solent. The course takes the fleet past The Needles, along the south coast past the dramatic chalk cliffs, round St Catherine's Point at the island's southern tip, up the east coast past Sandown and Bembridge, and back through the Solent to Cowes.

For spectators, the best vantage points are at Cowes for the start and finish, The Needles headland, and St Catherine's Point. The race is visible from many points around the island's coast, and it creates a memorable spectacle as hundreds of sails fill the horizon. The event has a carnival atmosphere in Cowes, with the town's pubs and restaurants packed from early morning until late at night.

The race is open to boats of all sizes and abilities, and many crews enter for the experience rather than with any hope of winning. The record for the course is under three hours, set by large racing multihulls, but most boats take between six and twelve hours to complete the circuit.